friday night fun
by jremme
Summary: Zach decides to have a relaxing friday night at home. Mostly Zach, with a little Hodgins thrown in for good measure. Just for fun!


**A/N: I normally write House fics, but I love Bones, and have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to write ****a fic****, and this challenge fit the bill. I don't think there are enough Zack fics out there, so here's my contribution****, although there's some Hodgins too****. Enjoy!**

**Friday night fun**

It had been a long day at the Jeffersonian, and Zach Addy sat in the passenger seat of Jack Hodgins' car and wondered why he was in the passenger seat in the first place. After carefully weighing the pros and cons of inquiring as to the whereabouts of a certain artist, he decided to ask.

"Where is Angela? I'm normally restricted to the confines of the backseat."

"She convinced Dr. Brennan to a girls' night out," Hodgins replied. "I don't suppose you'd want to grab a beer or something, would you?"

"Alcohol disrupts the mind processes. Besides, I already have plans tonight."

"You?!"

"Of course. It's Friday night. Isn't that the traditional evening to engage in fun activites?"

"Who you going out with?"

"I never said I was going out. Or that I would be with anyone else. I plan to enjoy a relaxing evening at home by myself."

Hodgins shook his head. "You are hopeless." He pulled into his drive, and he and Zach parted ways. Zach padded up the stairs to his home above Hodgins' garage, and removed his shoes, placing them side by side on the small area rug in front of the door. He hung his backpack on the hook near the door, and went into the kitchen. He poured himself a glass of orange kool-aid from the pitcher in his fridge, and sipped the dryness in his throat away. He loved orange, he really did.

After putting the glass in the empty sink, he headed for his bedroom to prepare for his relaxing evening. But something was bothering him. He couldn't shake the image of that glass in the sink. He turned around and headed back to the kitchen, removing the glass and running some hot water and adding dish soap. He put the glass in the soapy water and washed it thoroughly, placing it in the small dish rack to air dry.

He started for the bedroom again, but again turned around, grabbing a towel from a drawer. He grabbed the glass out of the dish rack and dried it. Satisfied that it was water-free, he placed it in the cupboard from whence it came, then tried for the third time to get to his bedroom.

This time he made it, and opened the second dresser drawer from the top. He pulled out a pair of well worn pajamas with feet in them, a gift from his grandmother 3 years ago. Then it was off to the adjoining bathroom. He turned the faucet on the bathtub, testing the water for the perfect temperature.

Once he'd found it, he plugged the tub drain and watched the water run for awhile before walking to a cupboard and pulling out a bottle of Mr. Bubble. It had a fine sheen of dust on it from lack of use. He didn't have relaxing evenings at home very often.

He carefully measured out the soap and poured it into the bathtub. He watched as the bubbles began to fill the tub. While waiting for it to fill, he walked back to his bedroom and found a boombox, his only source of music, and a cd. He carried both of these items into the bathroom and set up the stereo at the other end of the bathroom, as far away from the tub as possible. He put the cd in and put a song on repeat. Then he opened a drawer and selected a fluffy towel, which he placed on a small table near the bathtub.

By this time, the tub was full and Zach shut the water off. One more thing before he could get in. Well, two things would be more accurate. He wasn't going to get into the tub fully clothed after all. He went to a small cupboard, opened it, and took out the only item contained therein. He set it in the tub, and commenced undressing, folding each article of clothing and setting them in a neat pile on the toilet, his pajamas on top.

Once devoid of clothing, he stepped carefully into the tub, settling himself down amongst the bubbles. He leaned back and allowed relaxation to enter his body, gently removing the aching stiffness that existed in his arms and legs after a long day at work. He closed his eyes and listened to the song he'd picked. Hodgins could keep his beer drinking Friday evening. This was the epitome of a good time. Alone with Mr. Bubble, a childhood heirloom, listening to music, and just relaxing.

Hodgins, meanwhile, was sitting on his couch, nursing a beer, and feeling alone. Angela was having fun with Dr. Brennan, Zach was doing who knew what, and Booth…Booth! Of course! Booth would be up for a beer. He drank. Hodgins had seen him do it before! He grabbed the phone and eagerly dialed Booth's cell.

"Booth."

"Dude, it's Hodgins. Come over and have a beer with me, man."

"Sorry, can't. I have Parker this weekend. Where are the other squints?"

"Angela and Brennan are out, and Zach doesn't drink. Plus, I don't think I even wanna know what he's doing."

"Looks like you're on your own. Sorry." Booth hung up, leaving Hodgins once again at a dead end for company.

Hodgins took a deep swig from the beer bottle and sighed. He wondered how Angela was doing. Maybe he should call her. He dismissed the idea immediately. When she was out with Brennan, she didn't want to be disturbed. It had taken Angela a long time to convince Brennan to go out with her, and once she'd succeeded in convincing her, she had planned to try and get some information on her relationship with Booth. She wouldn't want to be interrupted from that mission.

He tapped his foot to an imaginary rhythm in his head, trying to shake the intense boredom he felt. The phone, still in his hand, rang, and he jumped, the phone clattering to the floor several feet away. He dove for it. It could be his ticket out of boredom. He put it to his ear, and said, too eagerly, "Hello!?"

There was a moment of silence on the line, then Brennan's voice said, "Hodgins? Get Zach and get over to the club on 5th. We have a case. I've already called Booth. He's going to drop Parker off at Rebecca's and meet us here." She hung up.

Hodgins pumped his fist in the air in silent triumph. "Yesss!" He grabbed a jacket, and headed out the door to collect Zach.

Zach couldn't believe how peaceful he felt. It was amazing what water and bubbles could do. He let himself sink further down into the tub, until only his head remained visible. He indulged in memories of previous bubble baths. As a child, he could recall pretending to be a shark, hunting fish amongst the bubbles. Obviously an unbelievable scenario. Sharks didn't take bubble baths. He held his breath and went underwater, failing to hear the front door opening and closing, and Hodgins calling his name.

Hodgins crossed the threshold into Zach's home and looked around. He wasn't in the kitchen, nor in the living room. He hesitated a moment before turning the doorknob and stepping into the bedroom. There was light streaming into the bedroom from underneath the closed bathroom door, and Hodgins raised an eyebrow as he heard the music coming from the other side.

"Is that…?" He muttered to himself. He stepped closer. It was. Ernie from Sesame Street singing about his rubber duckie. Hodgins shook his head. Oh, man. He hoped the door wasn't locked. He turned the knob for a test. It was unlocked. He turned it the rest of the way and stepped into the warm bathroom.

Zach was underwater again, and when he came up, he noticed Hodgins and jumped in the bathtub, startled by his sudden appearance. He was covered in bubble bath and there was a small rubber duck sitting in the water with him. They stared at one another for a moment, and then Hodgins started laughing.

"You're taking a bubble bath, listening to Ernie, _and_ you have a rubber duck! Priceless! Oh, man, and what are these? PJs with feet? Wow, you are too much!"

Zach stood up in the tub, strategically covered with bubbles, and snatched his pajamas from Hodgins' hands.

"The pajamas were a gift from my grandmother and the duck is a childhood heirloom.What are you doing here? I'm supposed to be relaxing alone."

"Brennan called. We have a case," Hodgins informed him, still chuckling.

"Well, in that case, if you wouldn't mind getting out, I'd like to get dressed. Then I'll accompany you to the crime scene, or the Jeffersonian, or wherever Dr. Brennan wants us."

"Sure, sure," Hodgins left, closing the door behind him, and wishing he had a camera. He waited for Zach in the living room, humming Ernie's ode to his rubber duckie and shaking his head. The kid really was hopeless.

Zach dried himself off, noting that his skin had wrinkled from being in the tub too long. He'd have to time it better next time. He pulled the plug from the bathtub and rinsed the soap out. He put his duck away and dressed in his regular clothes, replacing the pajamas in the drawer for next time. He put away the boom box and CD, and then went to join Hodgins in the living room so they could leave. Relaxing would just have to wait until another day.

**A/N: I hope that wasn't too bad. Please R&R! I would be very grateful since it's my first Bones fic!**** Let me know if it was good or not, and whether I should write more Bones fics! ****Thank you!!**


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